If you want a quick Twitter-size burst profile of Czech forward Martin Necas, check the @CanesandCoffee Twitter stream from Friday night at about 8pm when a few respected scouts/media generously shared their insights and were retweeted.

Martin Necas profile

Martin Necas is a center from the Czech Republic. The Hurricanes press release lists him at 6-1 and 178 pounds. Following a common theme among the majority of Hurricanes draftees, Francis used the words “skill and smarts” to describe him.

The press release which can be found in its entirety HERE, also quoted the NHL’s Director of European Scouting, Goran Stubb, who said Necas “is a very good skater with acceleration and speed.” Speed and skating were the most noticeable theme from a few comments I received on Twitter from scouts after Necas’ selection. Grant McCagg from Recrutes.ca called Necas the “best skating forward in the draft.” Kevin LeBlanc from DobberProspects started with “speedy” as well. The team from Draftin Europe also chimed in with “competitive, tireless fast skater…”

I am on record repeatedly as taking skating above all else in today’s NHL, so Necas starting point in that regard with skill and tenacity on top of it has me excited to see him at next week’s prospect camp (not sure when we will know if he is confirmed).

A look at a variety of draft rankings have Necas pretty consistently slotted between eight and about fourteenth. So he slots about where the Hurricanes drafted him at #12, and the consensus among a number of scouts hopefully suggests that he is more of a sure thing and less hit or miss than other options.

Necas had a modest 15 points in 41 games playing in the men’s Czech Extraliga where he won a championship for the second consecutive year.